New work and holiday agreement between Australia and Uruguay

by Ray Clancy on April 3, 2013

New work and holiday agreement between Australia and Uruguay

Young people from Australia and Uruguay now have the opportunity to visit and work in each other’s countries through a new work and holiday visa arrangement. It aims to strengthen people to people relations, build on economic ties and links between the two countries and will allow university educated Australians and Uruguayans aged between 18 and 30 to work and holiday in each other’s country for up to 12 months.

The work and holiday visa differs from a working holiday visa as it requires applicants to have the support of their government, hold or be studying towards tertiary qualifications and to speak functional English. Uruguay has become the latest country to have a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement with Australia, joining a number of other countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Turkey and the United States. There will be an annual limit of 200 work and holiday visas for both countries.

Meanwhile, Brisbane is set to become the best city in Australia to live and work, according to one of Queensland’s largest property developers. The Grow Consulting Group says that the city will surpass Melbourne and Sydney as a facelift in recent years and renewal projects in urban areas make it the place to be.

The firm’s managing director Ayda Shabanzadeh says the city’s new shopping centre, trendy new restaurants and bars and a distinctive international feel are proving attractive to young people from abroad. ‘Sydney and Melbourne’s trendy precincts, like Chapel St and Surry Hills, are starting to look tired in comparison to Brisbane’s new offerings,’ Shavanzadeh claimed.

Quote from ExpatForum.com : “Just filling in forms for my canadian working holiday visa, but also want to apply for the Oz one in July, just before I turn 31.”

There has been AU$1.4 billion worth of investment in residential property alone in the city and property values are up 2% to a median of AU$432,250. Shabanzadeh predicts that with an increasing population and greater opportunities for young people to live and work, the city can become one of the most sought after destinations in Australia. After years of investment in the economy, the property market and building of international partnerships its seems as though expats, students and holiday makers cannot get enough of Australia.